Rams sweep pool play, fall in All "A" quarters

May 2—Raceland had a busy weekend in Owensboro, competing in the state All "A" Classic. The Rams went 3-0 in Saturday's pool of games, before coming up short on Sunday to Bracken County.

"After going 0-3 in pool play last year, 3-0 felt pretty good," Raceland coach Destiny Goins said. "I'm really proud of them."

Saturday was a great day for Raceland with the team accumulating 24 runs off of 38 hits across the three games it played.

In the first outing against Beechwood, the Rams got off to a hot start, putting up four runs in the first frame, including an RBI double from pitcher Davanna Grubb.

Raceland took a 4-3 lead after the first inning, and never looked back from there.

"After the first inning of our first game, they really settled in for the rest of the day," Goins said. "They were playing their game. You could really tell how much their chemistry has improved over the course of the season."

The Rams scored two runs in each of the second, fourth, and fifth innings, expanding its lead to 10-5 after five innings.

Down five runs heading into the top of the seventh, the Tigers tried to find a last-ditch effort to come back but that effort would come up short.

After a sacrifice fly from Beechwood's Laney Hatridge put things at 10-6, Raceland got the last two outs it needed on the next two at-bats.

Grubb struck out 10 batters from the circle.

"Davanna threw three really solid games," Goins said. "She's going to give you everything she has while she's out there. She's a workhorse in the circle. She's proven that this year."

BEECHWOOD 300 020 1 — 6 9 3

RACELAND 420 220 X — 10 11 3

McGuire and Moore; Grubb and Vance. W — Grubb. L — McGuire. 2B — Grubb (R).

Raceland 12

Highlands Latin 2

To start the second matchup versus Highlands Latin, the Rams kept their bats hot with a pair of hits and a sac fly from Reagan Mackie which put two runs on the board in the bottom of the first.

The Highlanders to their credit put up two runs in the first frame as well, including a double from Mary Claire Vonderheide. Unfortunately for Highlands, that was where the offense stopped.

Raceland would take the outright lead in the bottom of the second after a big two-run double from Bryna Wellman.

The Rams would keep going in the bottom of the third frame, adding another pair of runs after a double from Mackie brought home Kali Vance, who herself had just hit a double, as well as an RBI single from Makenzie Bradley.

Not satisfied with a 6-2 lead, the Rams tacked on four more in the fourth thanks to the bats of Vance, Peyton Mackie, Kaitlin Kartchner, and Makena Francis.

Peyton Mackie and Francis's RBIs were from triples.

Raceland would put the game away in the bottom of the sixth when a two-run RBI from Savannah Ratliff put the score into mercy territory at 12-2.

Bradley started and pitched a complete game against Highlands Latin. She gave up just two runs after the first frame and struck out four batters.

Peyton Mackie stood out in the game for the Rams, bringing in three runs during the game, including a double and a triple.

"Peyton played phenomenal all weekend," Goins said of Mackie's performance. "We couldn't have asked for more from her in any aspect. It's a great feeling to know that top to bottom we have kids that can produce for us. Peyton is vital for us to be successful. I am extremely proud of her."

H. LATIN 200 000 — 2 4 1

RACELAND 222 402 — 12 18 1

Kang and McFarland; Bradley and Vance. W — Bradley. L — Kang. 2B — Vance 2 (R), R. Mackie (R), Wellman (R), Vonderheide (HL). 3B — Francis (R), P. Mackie (R).

Raceland 2

Ballard Memorial 1

The third game on Saturday for the Rams was a defensive battle with Ballard Memorial.

Raceland got a double in its first at-bat from Wellman before putting up one run in the top of the inning with an RBI from a Baylee Burney bunt.

The Rams would get a big triple out of Peyton Mackie in the top of the second, but couldn't take advantage of it. Raceland's next two at-bats struck out trying to bring her home.

The Rams held the Bombers scoreless through the first five innings of the contest.

In the top of the fifth frame, Raceland added another run to the board with an error in the outfield following a fly ball from Vance.

The only run that Grubb, who was again in the circle for the Rams, gave up came in the bottom of the sixth inning when Ballard Memorial's Maddy Parrott hit a sac bunt that sent Tessa Holman across the plate.

Unfortunately for the Bombers, Serenity Owens would get caught advancing to third following the run, resulting in a double play that ended the sixth frame.

That was all Ballard Memorial could muster, hitting two fly outs and a pop out to end the game 2-1.

RACELAND 100 010 0 — 2 9 3

B. MEMORIAL 000 001 0 — 1 5 2

Bohde and O'Connor; Grubb and Vance. W — Grubb. L — Bohde. 2B — Wellman (R), O'Connor (BM). 3B — B. Mackie (R).

Bracken County 7

Raceland 2

As Sunday rolled around, the Rams' fortunes ran out against Bracken County in the quarterfinals.

The game started out at a stalemate with neither team's defense willing to give an inch to the other.

At the end of three innings, the game was knotted at 0-0.

Raceland put an end to the scoreless contest, putting the first run on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning courtesy of a single from Francis.

Francis would lead the team at the plate. She was 3 for 3 in the game.

The Rams looked to be keeping the Bears in their place until the sixth inning rolled around.

Bracken County exploded in the sixth frame, putting up all seven of its game score in one tidal wave of offense.

The Bears got two runs each off the bats of Kyndall Johnson, Ella Johnson, and Jordan Ahrens plus another run from Maddie Johnson.

Ella Johnson's knocked in a pair of runs from a triple, while Aherns' came off an inside-the-park home run.

"Regardless of the outcome, I am super proud of the girls for their performance," Goins said. "We played lights out in the field, but we struggled at the plate, and had a few things that didn't go our way and Bracken capitalized on that. Hats off to them."

Down 7-1, Raceland managed to get just one run back, but would ultimately fall short.

Goins was happy with what she saw from her club on and off the field over the weekend and is excited about what the performance in Owensboro might mean for the Rams' postseason pursuits.

"At the end of the last game, our kids were upset because they didn't get it done for our seniors," Goins said. "They want success for each other. They showed me this weekend how strong we have grown as a team and played unselfish softball. That type of attitude is so important. I'm looking forward to seeing how far this group can go in the postseason."

BRACKEN CO. 000 007 0 — 7 13 0

RACELAND 000 100 1 — 2 6 2

E. Johnson and Lippert; Grubb and Vance. W — E. Johnson. L — Grubb. 3B — E. Johnson (BC). HR — Aherns (BC).